A Gift...

We were able to send a special gift to our sweet little Ladybug II and this is what it looked like...

There were pajamas and a soft blanket for Ladybug II and a stuffed "hello kitty", then tea and candies and cookies for her foster family and a disposable camera and a letter with photos of us...her first time seeing us.

This view makes me think there might have been 2 cameras...I can't even imagine what it will be like if we get some new photos or updated information...she will be 2 in one month.

DTC...

...This stuffed ladybug was laying on the sidewalk outside our court house one day in September when I went in to get some papers authenticated...I took it as a sign...and took a photo...

So after nearly 365 days...of paper chasing our documents are on their way to China...just in time for them to get back from the holiday and review it. This makes me excited and anxious...excited as in getting closer anxious in that...there is still much to do, funds to raise and hurdles to clear....so with that we will celebrate briefly and then put our noses back down for the next portion of this journey and what to expect...

DTC: October 9, 2009

LID: usually within 2 weeks to a month of DTC, this is when the clock officially begins counting.

LOA: --Letter of Acceptance, after your dossier is reviewed by the CCAA, if there is no question by the CCAA, they will then issue LOA to notify you that they final agree for the adoption. It will take about 3-4 months from DTC to receive LOA on average. I have seen families get this in 60 days...not often but recently.

I-800 approved: additional steps for I800 process

Cable: additional steps for I800 process

Article 5: additional steps for I800 process

TA: Travel Approval, after the CCAA receives signed LOA, they will issue TA. Once we have travel approval we will travel fairly quickly usually within a month.

CA: additional steps for I800 process

Travel Dates:

What Does It Mean...the Acronyms...

CCAA: China Center of Adoption Affairs - organization responsible for all aspects of inter-country and domestic adoption in China

PAP: Prospective adoptive parent

AP: Adoptive parent

SW: Social worker

DTC: Date to China - date dossier was sent to CCAA in China

LID: Log in Date - date CCAA registered receipt of dossier

NSN: Non Special Needs - what the healthy child program is called

SN: Special Needs - “children with medical needs” program

WC: Waiting Child - new term used for older child or child with medical needs and Special Needs program

SWI: Social Welfare Institute - this is what the orphanage is called. There are often disabled and older adults living in SWI’s as well

CWI: Children’s Welfare Institute - this would be an orphanage strictly for children under the age of 16

LOI: Letter of Intent - letter issued by PAP to CCAA asking to adopt an identified WC, outlining understanding of need and care plan

PA: Pre-Approval - issued by CCAA to PAP approving LOI contingent upon approval of dossier

LOA/LSC: Letter of Acceptance/Letter Seeking Confirmation - formal approval of LOI signed by PAP’s confirming adoption of WC

TA: Travel Approval - sent to PAP when all immigration docs are ready and child is made ready by SWI

CA: Consulate Appointment - this is when the official adoption ceremony and appointments for visa & medical exam are confirmed. The travel itinerary is based on this date

PAPERWORK...Pregnant...

In the adoption world when your paperwork is done you are "paperwork pregnant" and believe me with the stress of the paperwork and the weight that I believe I have gained due to the stress of the paperwork...I feel a little BIG! What feels even bigger is my heart...it is beginning to feel REAL! Last Thursday I picked up mine and Ellie Lu's passport photos and made copies and then after work took our dossier to the UPS store and mailed it to our agency...this was of course after having created 3 duplicates of it. One to send with and 2 for safe keeping here.

What a relief to have the paperwork done...NOW WHAT...

Our dossier will be reviewed and hopefully pass and then it will be mailed on to China...this is called DTC. Our file will then be reviewed in logged in and then we will be LID. These are both big miles stones as once we are LID then it could be 60-90 days until we receive our LOC...Letter of Confirmation which invites us to China.

Once we receive that there is another round of paperwork and VISA applications etc and waiting and then in another 60-90 days travel to China. Of course at any time anything can change, but this is generally how this will happen in the program we are now in. So say a little prayer that our paperwork is in good order and that it is processed expeditiously and that soon we will be on our way to bring "Ladybug II" home.

Ladybug II...some details

Our little Ladybug II is from one the most scenic and beautiful places in China...Guilin. You can learn more about Guilin here.

• She is in foster care since 9 months of age.


• She was born on November 17, 2007 which was a Saturday...so she is 78 days younger than Ellie Lu.


• Her Chinese name means "talent girl"


• At birth she was 19.7 inches tall and weighed 7.4 pounds


• At 1 year old she was 26.6 inches tall and weighed 16.5 pounds


• "You Jingjing is a beautiful girl. She has bright and black pearl-liked eyes. She likes glance this way and that and is interested in everything."


• At approximately 18 months old she was 27.6 inches tall and weighed 17.6 pounds and had 8 teeth and a tiny size 4 foot...she is a tiny little sprout.

WHAT DOES YOUR DAY MEAN?
MONDAY:
Monday's child is fair of face.
You are good-looking, especially when you smile!
You are beautiful inside and out.

TUESDAY:
Tuesday's child is full of grace.
You have many talents, and are fun to be around.
You dance through life!

WEDNESDAY:
Wednesday's child is full of woe.
You are a serious person, and try to change things that seem unfair.
You make the world a better place!

THURSDAY:
Thursday's child has far to go.
You have many ideas, and you want to do them all.
You will go far in life!

FRIDAY:
Friday's child is loving and giving.
You are caring and sharing. You are kind,
you love people, and people love you!

SATURDAY:
Saturday's child works hard for a living.
You are ambitious, enjoy work, and like to accomplish things.
You know what you want!

SUNDAY:
But the child born on the Sabbath day,
Is fair and wise and good and gay.
You are sunny, fun, and loving.
You bring much joy to other people!

Getting Closer...as far as paperwork is concerned

We just received the majority of our dossier back from the Chinese Embassy...still waiting on document from Houston Chinese Consulate and Chicago Consulate and then we can submit our dossier...hopefully by weeks end. Ellie Lu talks about baby sister "Ladybug II" also known to Ellie Lu as "Jing Jing" nearly daily. Just when you think she might not remember she may say..."Jing Jing in China" or "Pray for Jing Jing" or "Ellie Lu has baby sister"...just warms my heart...it is starting to feel real almost like a "growing belly", but in our case a growing stack of papers. At times I let myself wonder what our little "bug" is doing and it nearly breaks my heart that she is in China and we are here...but there is not a thing we can do but get our paperwork processed and hope it is processed quickly...a little peak into our "mound of paperwork".

Is it Different?

So many people have asked..."Is it different this time...the waiting?" and it is different. When we waited for Ellie Lu we had waited what seemed an eternity, prior to waiting had lost 2 biological babies, undergone the intrusive process of fertility treatments and were overdue as far as wanting to be parents. We started a process that we were told was 6-9 months and completed a process that took 3 years...so yes it was different...and did I mention our home was empty we had no children...it seemed all we could do was wait....at at times barely live. Also during that wait we always wondered...would it even happen? Nothing compares to being childless and wanting a family.

That doesn't mean it is not hard now...it is hard waiting. We have a picture of a child that will be our daughter...she is growing and changing every day...yet the photos show her at 12 months and 18 months...yet we wait. We know who she is...we know where she is...but we have to go thru the process which is lengthy and involved and involves the passage of time. I have always wondered how families who were part of this process where you get a picture first and then wait...how they coped and now I know...

Most families who receive that picture up front are not first time parents...most have a least one child at home and others may have many children. My point is they are very busy...they are parents...they aren't waiting to be parents. Either way it is still hard...this time I feel guilty that I don't have endless hours to document every minute waiting...it doesn't mean that I anticipate this journey less...I just don't have endless time. We have photos of Ladybug II in our home, we talk about her at meals, we pray for her and yes we have shopped a bit for her too.

We also wonder...about her health, is she growing and developing...what have we missed? We can't dwell on the things we just can't control we can only anticipate what is to come...we anxiously wait for the day the FedEx man arrives with our LOA and we are invited to come to China to complete our family....we still have several months ahead of us...preparations to make, and much time to wonder and anticipate this new addition to our family and yes it is different...most things are the 2nd time around...not less special, not easier or harder...just different.

• August 31, 2009 received our I797c...
• Dossier almost ready for sending to China...